ECAPC Middle East Trip

Friends of Every Church A Peace Church—


EVERY CHURCH A PEACE CHURCH DELEGATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST

APRIL 12 – 24, 2004


You are invited to participate in an Every Church A Peace Church delegation to the Middle East on April 12 – 24, 2004 to take part in an international Sabeel conference in Jerusalem on “Challenging Christian Zionism: Theology, Politics and the Palestine-Israel Conflict” and experience the involvements of Jerry and Sis Levin in Israel-Palestine thereafter. With the assistance of the travel and encounter office of the Holy Land Trust, we are very excited that Jerry and Sis have invited Every Church A Peace Church to participate in this important event and visit their work. John Stoner, Coordinator of ECAPC, and H.A. Penner, ECAPC’s Treasurer, will be the co-leaders of this tour.

Sabeel’s International Conference on April 14 – 18 will bring to Jerusalem theologians, academics, peacemakers and nonviolence activists from around the world for panel discussions, lectures, workshops, Bible study and worship. Participants will have an unparalleled opportunity to learn, share insights and work together. The conference will be conducted with simultaneous translation in Arabic, English and French to address the following questions:

What are the theological, social and political roots of Christian Zionism?
How is the Bible used to support Christian Zionism?
What is the relationship between Christian Zionism and anti-Semitism?
How does Christian Zionism influence attitudes and policies towards Palestinians?
How does Christian Zionism relate to colonialism in the Middle East?
How is it influencing religious communities and political leadership around the world?
How can those who seek justice for Palestinians as well as Israelis strategize to challenge Christian Zionism effectively?

This conference is sponsored by the Sabeel Liberation Theology Center which is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus, this liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them and lead them to act for justice and love. Sabeel (Arabic for “the way” and also a “channel” or “spring” of life-giving water) strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the difference national and faith communities. Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns. It encourages individuals and groups from around the world to work for a just, comprehensive and enduring peace informed by truth and empowered by prayer and action.

Once a fringe concern for those who struggle for justice and peace in the Middle East, the phenomenon of Christian Zionism has become a potent religious and political force in the Palestine-Israel conflict. Christian Zionism has an estimated 100 million adherents world-wide. The policy of the U.S.A. towards Israel is increasingly determined by politicians who are themselves Christian Zionists, or who count among their most ardent supporters millions of such Christians. Christian Zionism is highly problematic for all who believe in the biblical mandate of justice for all God’s people. It is implicated in the support of political policies that directly and negatively impact the lives of Palestinians. All who are interested in peace with justice in the Middle East need to better understand this ideology and its impact on Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities world-wide.

Following the Sabeel Conference, we will be hosted by Sis and Jerry Levin. Dr. Lucille “Sis” Levin, an internationally known peace educator and certified professional mediator, directs “The Children of Abraham” mission project of Every Church A Peace Church. Daring to believe God for the healing of the family of Abraham…starting with the children, this project is dedicated to supporting Christian communities in the Holy Land in their efforts to promote peaceful coexistence with Jews and Muslims. Currently serving through the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem, Sis’ work is primarily involved with systemic, comprehensive nonviolent peace education in Palestinian schools and communities. She also collaborates with Israeli educators sharing the same mission in Israel. This shared vision of educators seeks to foster greater understanding of issues related to Christians, Muslims and Jews striving to live together in peace in the Holy Land.

Sis’ husband, Jerry, is a former CNN bureau chief in Beirut who was kidnapped in March 1984 and held hostage, the first of the so-called forgotten American hostages in Lebanon. He spent 11 1/2 months in solitary confinement. Since escaping from his Lebanese captors on Valentine’s Day in 1985, Jerry has been actively writing and speaking out in support of Palestinian rights and is a current member of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron. The Levins are members of Birmingham’s Episcopal Cathedral of the Advent.

We sincerely hope that you will be able to participate in this tour! While the attached tentative itinerary is subject to change, it provides a general outline of this special trip. To initiate the application process, contact Harold A. Penner, tour facilitator, at penner@dejazzd.com. He will send you the ECAPC short-term delegation application and Statement of Personal Responsibility forms. Each individual applying for this delegation needs to complete both forms and mail them along with a $250 check payable to "Every Church A Peace Church" to ECAPC's tour facilitator-Harold A. Penner, 108 South Fifth Street, Akron, PA 17501-1204 by March 1, 2004. (To facilitate the registration process, this is a change from what was communicated in the cover letter of the initial tour itinerary.)

Individual participant cost is estimated to be about US$1,800, round trip from New York City. Final payment of the balance for the ground transportation, lodging and meals arranged by the Holy Land Trust Travel and Encounter Program is due on March 12, 2004, one month before the trip. Make that check payable to “Every Church A Peace Church” and send it to H.A. Penner, 108 South Fifth Street, Akron, PA 17501-1204.

Plan to bring along sufficient funds to cover remaining food, personal travel, entrance fees and souvenir purchases. Should you have further questions or concerns, contact H.A. Penner—Telephone: (717) 859-3529; E-mail: penner@dejazzd.com

Sincerely,



John K. Stoner, Tour Coordinator Harold A. Penner, Tour Facilitator
Every Church A Peace Church Director Every Church A Peace Church Treasurer

Attachment: Tentative Itinerary

ECAPC MIDDLE EAST DELEGATION, 2004
Tentative Itinerary 1/31/04

Monday, 12 April

Depart John F. Kennedy airport in New York City for an overnight flight to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Tuesday, 13 April

The group arrives at the Tel Aviv airport. A driver and vehicle from the Holy Land Trust (www.holylandtrust.org <http://www.holylandtrust.org/> ) will assist us with our overland travel to the Old City of Jerusalem where we will be lodged at the Golden Gate Hostel near the Damascus Gate.

Wednesday, 14 April

We will be in Jerusalem for the first day of the international Sabeel Conference on “Challenging Christian Zionism: Theology, Politics and the Palestine-Israel Conflict.” (For details regarding this conference and its registration for, see www.sabeel.org <http://www.sabeel.org/> ) Today’s focus will be on the history and theology of Christian Zionism. Registration for the conference, held at the Notre Dame Catholic Center, just outside the New Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem (about a four block walk from the Golden Gate Hostel), begins at 9 a.m. with the opening ceremony at 11 a.m. Lunch will be provided at the Notre Dame Center followed by two sessions on “History and Theology of Christian Zionism.” Dinners during the conference will be participant’s responsibility in available local restaurants. The after-dinner keynote speaker is scheduled to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd. And Rt. Hon. Rowan D. Williams. Overnight lodging during the conference will be at the Golden Gate Hostel.

Thursday, 15 April

Today’s Sabeel Conference in Jerusalem focuses on end times theology through different faith perspectives with a Bible study on a key passage in Christian Zionist thinking. Subsequent back-to-back sessions will be “Christian Zionism in Mainline Churches,” “Use and Abuse of the Bible,” “The Effect of Christian Zionism on the Middle East Conflict,” “Apocalyptic Thought and Eschatology in Islam” and “Apocalyptic Thought and Eschatology from a Jewish Perspective.” The after dinner lecture has not yet been announced.

Friday, 16 April

The focus of the Sabeel Conference today will be on Christian Zionism and international politics and the Bible study will be on a key passage in Christian Zionist thinking and its interpretation. Subsequent back-to-back sessions include “Christian Zionism in U.S. Policy-making” and “Christian Zionism in Europe, in Asia and the Pacific, in Africa and in Latin America.” We will take a field trip to the Mount of Olives and the Dome of the Rock. After dinner entertainment is being planned.

Saturday, 17 April

Today’s conference sessions will be held in Ramallah where the focus will be on possible responses to Christian Zionism and the Bible study will be on a key passage in Christian Zionist thinking and its interpretation. Subsequent back-to-back sessions include “Education and the Younger Generation,” “Justice and Peace,” “Strategies of Nonviolence” and “Religion as a Humanizing Factor.” Free time is scheduled for the evening.

Sunday, 18 April

We’re scheduled to travel to Bethlehem today where the conference focus is on advocacy and planning involving regional and denominational workshops and strategy groups. The conference’s closing lecture will be given by the Founder and President of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, followed by an ecumenical worship service. Overnight at the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem.

Monday, 19 April

We will start our day in Bethlehem by meeting with the Applied Research Institute (www.arij.org <http://www.arij.org/> ) and hear about land confiscation issues. We will meet with the Mayor of Beit Sahour. We will visit the Greek Orthodox housing project and meet with the families. We will have lunch with the Remember the Innocents club of the St. Joseph School in Bethlehem. Afterwards, we will visit the kindergarten classes with Dr. Sis Levin, the staff person of ECAPC’s Middle East Peace Education Program. Dinner is scheduled to be with Allen Weaver and Ed Nyce, Mennonite Central Committee (www.mcc.org <http://www.mcc.org/> ) workers in Bethlehem. Overnight at the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem.

Tuesday, 20 April

We will spend a day in Hebron with Jerry Levin and other Christian Peacemaker Team members. We will visit the CPT apartment, the old city of Hebron, and the Baqa’ Valley. Overnight at the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem.


Wednesday, 21 April

Today we travel to Jerusalem for a briefing with Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, ICAHD. Together with ICAHD, we will tour East and West Jerusalem, in particular, the wall. Continuing on, we will meet with Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom from Rabbis for Human Rights. Before heading back to Bethlehem, we will meet with Betselem, an Israeli human rights organization. Dinner will be with Sami Awad, the director of Holy Land Trust. Overnight at the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem.

Thursday, 22 April

Enroute to the Galilee region, today we travel to Haifa. We will start our day by visiting Gush Shalom in Jerusalem where we meet with Adam Keller. From there, we will drive to Ain Hod, one of forty unrecognized villages from the year 1948 and meet with Mohammad Abu Haija. Afterwards, we will visit the Baladna Youth Center in Haifa. Continuing on, we will visit one of the families who lost their son during the second Intifadah. Dinner and overnight will be at the St. Margaret Guesthouse of the Episcopal Church in Nazareth.

Friday, 23 April

We will start our day in Nazareth by visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation, Mary’s Well and the Nazareth Village. We will meet with Mohammad Zidan of the Arab human rights organization. Afterwards, a late lunch will be enjoyed around the Sea of Galilee. In the afternoon we will visit holy sites around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus preformed some of his ministries and celebrate communion together on the Mount of the Sermon at sunset. In the evening we travel to the Tel Aviv airport for a late night departure.

Saturday, 24 April

Arrival back in the U.S.A.



Preliminary estimated Per Person Costs of US$1,800 are comprised of the following:

@US$800 Approximate round-trip airfare from New York City to Tel Aviv, Israel. (Individual flight costs may vary depending on departure point in the United States.)

@US$710 Includes all fees for the Sabeel Conference, all transportation and entrance fees for the holy sites to be visited as outlined in the itinerary, accommodations in double rooms in the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem and in the St. Margaret Guesthouse in Nazareth on a half board basis (breakfast and dinner). If you prefer a single room, add US$100.

@US$290 The above estimated costs do not include breakfasts and dinners during the five days of the Sabeel Conference (April 13 – 17), five nights at the Golden Gate Hostel in Jerusalem at the estimate cost of @$7 per person per night, lunches and snacks throughout the trip (except for lunches provided during the Sabeel Conference), tips for drivers, insurance, souvenirs or any other services not included in the itinerary.